Products

Create and Sell Gifts

Put Your Photo On Products,
Sell The Products For Money

By Andrew Hudson

Now we get to a different category of selling. Instead of letting other people make products with your photos, you can make your own products to sell. That way, you can get all the money for the sale of the product, not just a license fee.

Introduction

Any item that can display a photo is a potential revenue source for photographers. Magnets, T-shirts, mugs, stickers, cards, mouse pads, bags; the market is unlimited. There are several marketplace Web sites that create on-demand, customized products. You can easily set up your own online shop, then upload your photo, pick the products you want to sell, and watch the business come your way.

Make your own online product store at:
ArtApart | CafePress | E-Shirt |

Print products at:
PhotoStockPlus | Shutterfly

How much do products pay? You can decide, as you can set the markup. Sell a $9 T-shirt for $14 and you get $5. Also, you can put the same photo on a multitude of products, so one picture can go a long way.

Postcards

Postcards are the lowest-cost printed products. You can make your own quite cheaply, which means low-risk and easy market entry for self-publishers. There are many online printers for postcards, including Modern Postcard. You could make samples on your own inkjet printer, take them to local stores, and ask for feedback.

Notecards

Another easy and cheap way to start your own photography publishing business is with notecards. You can paste standard prints to folded white card, add an envelope, and hey-presto you have a notecard. There's an increasing number of digital printers that can make professional-looking notecards for you.

With a few samples in hand, you can visit local giftshops and bookstores to see if they will enter into a trial. You could offer the cards on a "no-obligation consignment" basis, where you give them the cards and return a month or two later and charge them only for the cards that sold.

Galleries and Art Shows

If you're into fine art, try galleries and art shows. Make high-quality prints of your work, frame them, and display them for sale to the public. For galleries, look in the yellow pages, or meander down the local art district. For art shows, look in the local newspaper for street fairs and events. You can usually rent a stall to display your prints.

This approach requires some upfront money and time, to print and frame the pictures, and to be present at the gallery or booth. But you get to set your own price for your work and perhaps gain a reputation as a local artist.

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